Spanish River High will be well-represented at World Maccabiah Games

Steve Dorfman @SteveDorfmanpbp

Monday

Jun 26, 2017 at 12:01 AM

When Melissa Perlman traveled to Israel for her first World Maccabiah Games in 1997, she was a fledgling 15-year-old Spanish River High School track athlete, younger than most of her teammates on the U.S. Junior team.

And, save for her parents and grandparents who traveled with her, she didn’t know a soul.

That will not be the case for the Delray Beach resident when she competes as the captain of the U.S. Women’s Open half marathon team at this year’s World Maccabiah Games, which run July 4-18 in Jerusalem.

No, Perlman — who’s the assistant coach of the Spanish River High boys and girls track and cross-country teams — will have six fellow Sharks (two coaches, four runners) to keep her company during the fortnight of competition.

Of her status as the de facto matriarch of Spanish River High’s Maccabiah movement, she said with a laugh, "Yeah, we love the Maccabiah Games here in Boca."

‘Runs’ in the family

Perlman, 35, grew up in a Maccabiah household. Her father, Russell, was a collegiate track star and won a gold medal at the 1973 Games. He’d regale Melissa and her brother Michael and sister Lindsay with tales of his athletic exploits.

"I didn’t start running track until high school," Perlman said. "But once I started excelling, I wanted to follow in his footsteps."

That she did — qualifying for the Games after her high school freshman year, winning four bronze medals and eventually becoming one of Spanish River High’s most decorated track and cross-country athletes.

However, two years into her collegiate career at Brown, injuries forced her to give up competitive running.

"I figured that chapter of my life was closed."

But a life-altering event would change her perspective: "In 2008, my mom died from breast cancer."

In short order, Perlman resigned from her job, opened her own public relations company (BlueIvy Communications) and decided to begin training seriously again.

She reached out to her former Spanish River High coach — Rick Rothman — who offered Perlman the opportunity to be his assistant coach on one condition: "I had to run with the kids."

Vigorous workouts with the teens put Perlman back in racing form, so she began competing — and placing — in local 5Ks and half marathons.

Next, she set her sights on doing something she hadn’t previously considered: competing again in Maccabiah.

"I qualified for the Women’s Open half marathon team in the 2013 World Games."

She notched a personal best: one hour, 29 minutes.

Two years later, Perlman again qualified for international competition in the half marathon — this time at the 2015 European Maccabi Games (a smaller version of the World Maccabiah Games).

"I loved the experience of running in Germany at the Olympic stadium in Berlin — but was disappointed I didn’t improve my time."

Perlman decided her training had been unfocused — and left her vulnerable to nagging injuries.

"For the 2013 and 2015 Games, I was doing the same workouts that the kids I was coaching were doing. If they had a 4-miler scheduled, I did a 4-miler. I wasn’t preparing specifically enough for 13.1 miles. And I wasn’t doing enough to properly recover between workouts."

Figuring that the 2017 Games "would be my last, I wanted to put everything I had into it."

Perlman hired an online coach through runsmartproject.com ("My coach devised a 12-week training program — and can track my pacing and workouts through my watch!").

She began cross-training at Orangetheory Fitness.

She also stretched, did hot yoga and strength-trained.

She complemented the diversified training with regular massage, chiropractic and acupuncture treatments to hasten recovery and reduce the risk of injury.

The result: "I’m in the best shape of my life."

That’s why she believes "I can run in the 1:25-1:26 range."

But regardless of her finishing time, Perlman plans to relish the experience with her Spanish River High running family — as well as her dad, brother, sister and boyfriend Mark Burns, all of whom are traveling to Israel.

"The Maccabiah Games have been such a huge part of my life — and this one might be the most special of all."

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